A Big-Picture Thinker

Raytheon Australia engineer's leadership earns him a national award

Brodie Ryan stands beside a model of the Royal Australian Navy's future Air Warfare Destroyer. Ryan's work on the program helped earn him the Australian Industry & Defence Network's 2015 National Young Achiever award.

Raytheon Australia engineer Brodie Ryan has won a national award – one that reflects his leadership skills, his success on the Royal Australian Navy's new destroyer program and the company's deep pool of local expertise.

Ryan, 30, has been named the 2015 Australian Industry & Defence Network National Young Achiever. In May, Ryan received a similar honour when the Defence Teaming Centre named him as its Young Achiever at the Defence Industry Member Awards for South Australia.

“Brodie’s career achievements in his seven years with Raytheon Australia are impressive, and he is very deserving of the recognition,” said Raytheon Australia Managing Director Michael Ward. “Australia’s defence industry is in very capable hands with young professionals like Brodie taking on senior roles with the most complex programs in defence procurement.”

Ryan is one of 500 Raytheon Australia employees who work on combat systems, and he is an example of the company’s rich reserve of talent in Adelaide. He oversees a team of 19 employees across the Air Warfare Destroyer Alliance, a partnership of government and industry that manages the destroyer program.

Among his responsibilities: hazardous materials, hazard identification and analysis, and verification of safety controls.

He also helped develop and deliver the alliance’s professional development program, called the Peak Performance Program, to a key group of 100 leaders.

“My goal is to leave a positive impact on the projects, organisations and people with whom I work with throughout my career,” Brodie said.

He called the recognition “an honour” and attributed his success to Raytheon Australia’s leadership and methods of project management.

“In the long-term, gaining experience in as many areas of Raytheon Australia’s portfolio of programs as well as different phases of the defence procurement lifecycle will help me develop as a leader while ensuring the safety and success of our customer’s missions,” he said.